FMD surge capacity holdup: Private vets still not signed up

Hundreds of private veterinarians are still not locked into agreements to help out during a foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Australia’s ability to eradicate foot and mouth disease is being hampered by repeated delays in drafting simple contractual agreements with the hundreds of private veterinarians who will be needed to diagnose and clean up an outbreak.

All states have recognised they do not have the resources within their own ranks to deliver the surge capacity needed to respond to even a modest exotic animal disease outbreak.

Yet drafting a contract that working and retired veterinarians are willing to sign has dragged on since 2019.

The Federal Government issued a guidance document three years ago that outlined how each state and territory should draft standard contracts with private veterinarians.

However the Australian Veterinary Association says the National Guidance Document on the Engagement of Private Veterinarians during an EAD response was out of date, flawed and needs redrafting.

AVA Victorian president Hugh Millar said Victorian bureaucrats’ first attempt to deliver a workable contract resulted in a 40-page document “absolutely full of legal jargon”.

“Most private vets are going to take one look at it and say no way,” he said.

Dr Millar said Agriculture Victoria had promised to come back with a revised deed of standing offer, which he said was imperative to getting veterinarians signed up “in peace time” and not when an outbreak hits.

Victoria’s October 2022 Animal Disease Response Plan warns “for a major EAD response, a significant surge in resources will be required and may quickly exceed the Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions’ capacity.

“Recent experience in the COVID-19 pandemic response has demonstrated the scale of speed at which large numbers of staff will be required.”

AVA head of veterinary and public affairs Cristy Secombe said the private veterinarians wanted to work with the government.

“We want all the ducks in a line, so we don’t need to do it on the fly, in a rush,” Dr Secombe said.

She said the AVA was concerned at the slow pace of the review, given the 2019 guidance document is:

BASED on agreements with individual vets, not practices;

THE rate of pay at $180/hr was inadequate, especially for practices, given all their overheads;

VETERINARIANS would have to take out professional indemnity ($10 million), public liability ($10 million) insurance, which may be challenging for retired vets; and

EACH state needed to deliver consistent contractual agreements, especially for veterinarians working across state borders during an outbreak.

Australia’s Animal Health Committee., which is responsible for reviewing the guidenance document did not respond to requests for comment.